This report sets out a model for cultural comparison based on different concepts of the 'ideal man' from around the world. View Summary

This report sets out a model for cultural comparison based on different concepts of the 'ideal man' from around the world.

As competition increases, the brands most likely to win are those closely aligned with consumer needs - and many of those needs are rooted in culture.

Culture can be challenging because it is largely invisible to people living in it, and frequently idiosyncratic.

This study took a systematic approach to cross-cultural analysis to understand the 'ideal man' in China, India, Italy and the USA.

This included how he relates to society, how he operates, what promotes his social mobility, what his ultimate purposes are, how this relates to feminine identities, and how he expresses his identity with other men.

This approach helps brands understand how they fit into different cultures - and how they should talk to men.

2

How brands can position themselves to appeal to Argentinians

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Mercedes Ruiz Barrio, TNS, Intelligence Applied, June 2015

This article explains how international brands can engage consumers in Argentina. View Summary

This article explains how international brands can engage consumers in Argentina.

Argentina's diversity means there are opportunities for many different brands, and people's sense of heritage means they are open to European brands.

Economic difficulties in the country mean that people are interested in promotions and do not like glamorous marketing campaigns: brands should appeal to Argentinian values around family.

International brands need to recognise local tastes, and will find that people are keen to engage on social media - but not by email or other digital channels.

This event report looks at ways in which global brands are being marketed locally in the Philippines. View Summary

This event report looks at ways in which global brands are being marketed locally in the Philippines.

Unilever insists on putting people first, to the extent that sales and marketing staff are sent to spend time with consumers in order to understand their lives and how they use products.

It then seeks to "join the dots" between human truth, product group and brand purpose, as exemplified in a campaign for the Cream Silk hair care brand.

And in a connected world, it has found that effective brand communications require authenticity, relevance and "talkability".

6

Falling short on insights, knowledge and aspiration: Why global brands are failing in Africa

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Joseph Clift, Event Reports, Global Marketer Week, March 2015

This event report explores some common misconceptions that global brands have when it comes to marketing in Africa. View Summary

This event report explores some common misconceptions that global brands have when it comes to marketing in Africa.

First and foremost, they fail to appreciate the diversity of the continent – it is emphatically not one market.

Nor is it a poverty-stricken backwater; most economies are growing and consumers have the same aspirations as the rest of the world.

Brands also need to invest in developing local marketing talent rather than parachuting in mediocre managers from overseas.

Traditional media channels are stronger than in Europe or North America but digital is also an important option to get right.

7

How Bidorbuy, iCow, Guinness and Unilever succeeded in Africa

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Joseph Clift, Event Reports, Global Marketer Week, March 2015

This event report looks at how brands large and small are making an impact in Africa. View Summary

This event report looks at how brands large and small are making an impact in Africa.

Local brands have had to be creative in the mobile context, where feature phones remain the norm, with innovations ranging from a farming advice service to an entire auction site.

Global brands have sought to tap local creative talent: Guinness did this an independent company which links brands and filmmakers, Unilever took it a step further setting up its own film academy.

In both cases, the creators were trusted to come up with something authentic and relevant.

8

Precise attribution fuels marketing effectiveness

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Daniel Kehrer, Admap, February 2015, pp. 22-24

This article argues that advanced attribution models improve marketing effectiveness and help business decision making, and sets out key approaches to attribution. View Summary

This article argues that advanced attribution models improve marketing effectiveness and help business decision making, and sets out key approaches to attribution.

Big data is driving a fast evolution of marketing attribution models, but many large companies still use antiquated approaches.

Companies that are adopting advanced models to understand how their online and offline marketing works include Hilton Hotels, the world's largest hotel brand; Citrix, a mobile workspace technology provider; and Intel, the tech-giant.

Brands now use data in different ways to understand their marketing, including integrating consumer and market level data, and predicting impact of activity through modelling.

These advancements can feed programmatic buying and provide insights that fuel decision-making capabilities.

This article demonstrates how hotel chain Holiday Inn executed the global relaunch of its brand family.

The original hotel concept had grown stale and outdated, and maintaining relevancy while protecting its core equity was challenging.

Holiday Inn needed to reach consumers at a deeper level, as well as deliver improvements to the physical products and so focused on meeting the different need states of its guests, depending on their travel.

The brand has strategically invested in digital media and looks for ways to be more inclusive with a diverse and multicultural customer base.

Verchele Wiggins, vice president of InterContinental Hotels Group which owns Holiday Inn, offers five best practices for business including always do the right thing for the customer, yourself and your team, and people don't care what you know until they know that you care.

11

Hungry for familiar foods: Think global, act local

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Sonya Misquitta and Dheeraj Sinha, Market Leader, Quarter 4, 2014

This article sets out some of the mistakes made by multinational food companies launching products in emerging markets, and explains how to avoid them in the future. View Summary

This article sets out some of the mistakes made by multinational food companies launching products in emerging markets, and explains how to avoid them in the future.

Multinational food companies need to think global and act local, as food is rooted in demography, local cultures, religion, location and economy.

Having made the mistake in the past of assuming their products would sell automatically, multinationals must now gain a true understanding of these local values and provide for them if they are to succeed.

Brands should avoid imposing western cultural concepts, look tot he unorganised market, carefully consider which markets to enter, be attractive to value-conscious consumers and co-opt local favourites.

12

Hungry for familiar foods: Packaging local food ideas offers MNCs in India the opportunity to unlock new sources of revenue and reach new audiences

This article sets out five principles for international companies wanting to create a successful food brand in India. View Summary

This article sets out five principles for international companies wanting to create a successful food brand in India.

Few western companies manage to create a uniquely Indian brand that is culturally specific to India, instead merely tinkering with their own food constructs, seeing India as a single large market or targeting the more affluent buyers that resemble western consumers.

Food is inherently rooted in local culture, both in the way it is prepared and consumed - don't impose a western cultural construct.

The real competition in the food category is home-made food or local, unbranded players because organised retail only serves a small section of the population.

Less affluent consumers can be targeted with "access brands" that offer similar benefits to premium international brands but at an affordable price.

India's diverse food culture allows for opportunities to co-opt and package popular local products.

This presentation for an American audience demonstrates the importance of understanding other cultures outside the US and offers a way to understand how and why they think differently. View Summary

This presentation for an American audience demonstrates the importance of understanding other cultures outside the US and offers a way to understand how and why they think differently.

The foundations of a culture are its worldview, beliefs, values, feelings, behaviors and artifacts, and it underlies all communication.

The differences between cultures can be measured using Geert Hofstede's 'Dimensions of Culture', which examines cultures on six measures: power distance, individualism, feminine/masculine, uncertainty avoidance, long-term orientation, and indulgence.

Hofstede shows that the US scores highly on individualism and indulgence and low on long-term orientation, while China is the opposite on these factors.

Examples of the differences between the US and other cultures include how erectile dysfunction remedies and movies are marketed.

Steps towards applying cultural relevance to creative work include using constraints to push creativity, knowing your audience and developing products from a different perspective.

14

Brand strategy in the 21st century: insights from Guy Murphy and Adam Morgan

The most successful and fast growing brands now unite both ends of the poles.

15

Taking the global brand local: How Heineken is glocalising itself in Asia

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Low Lai Chow, Event Reports, The APPIES, August 2014

This event report looks at how Heineken has tackled the marketing of a global brand in local markets across Asia. View Summary

This event report looks at how Heineken has tackled the marketing of a global brand in local markets across Asia.

One route has involved leveraging its sponsorship of UEFA Champions League football, running competitions offering fans the chance to win tickets to the final or taking the trophy itself on tour.

Another has been to develop locally relevant angles on global campaigns: one such led to a decline in beer sales but boosted brand perception scores, a trade-off the brand was prepared to make as it promoted quality over quantity.

Heineken sees the greatest opportunities in the region in the ability to tap into local insights and execute creative ideas quickly.

16

How Diageo keeps its power brands on top

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Brian Carruthers, Event Reports, Marketing Week Live, June 2014

This event report outlines how Diageo, the alcoholic drinks company, approaches power brand building across global markets. View Summary

This event report outlines how Diageo, the alcoholic drinks company, approaches power brand building across global markets.

Brands must constantly recruit new customers, operate at scale and know what they stand for.

By being creative, 'in culture' and innovating to stay fresh brands will be talked about.

Big data is only useful insofar as it produces insights that benefit the consumer: at Diageo, the team is encouraged to go to pubs and clubs to find out what is happening.

17

Learning to be local: the global FMCG brands delivering growth in and from Asia

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Virginia Garavaglia, Warc Exclusive, May 2014

This article describes the changing Asian FMCG market (particularly China) and how economic and lifestyle changes are creating new consumer needs, how local brands are fulfilling these needs, and how global brands can make the most of this lucrative market. View Summary

This article describes the changing Asian FMCG market (particularly China) and how economic and lifestyle changes are creating new consumer needs, how local brands are fulfilling these needs, and how global brands can make the most of this lucrative market.

Local brands are currently gaining more growth in Asia than global brands, capturing 69% of shopper purchase decisions.

Localisation is prime, with successful Asian brands quickly responding to local needs for flavours, scents and benefits.

Premiumisation and convenience are big selling points as Asian consumers become cash-rich but time-poor, and more women enter the workforce.

Global brands can meet the needs of Asian consumers through collaboration with local brands or product co-creation with consumers.

Data on the 10 most chosen brands across Asia and in the Chinese market are given, with Colgate most popular across Asia and Master Kong most popular in China.

18

Chevrolet develops a more inclusive global brand image

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Geoffrey Precourt, Event Reports, 4A's Transformation, March 2014

This event report discusses how Chevrolet, the auto marque, has developed a more inclusive brand image that builds on its all-American roots, but also holds an international appeal. View Summary

This event report discusses how Chevrolet, the auto marque, has developed a more inclusive brand image that builds on its all-American roots, but also holds an international appeal. Based on a positioning summed up with the phrase "The New Us - A Whole New Community for a Whole New World", the brand has openly embraced various cultures and lifestyles, as demonstrated by a high-profile ad which debuted during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Among its main initiatives in support of this idea was a competition asking people across the globe to submit video content based around small moments that are rich with "hope and possibility". Forging tie-ups with a new breed of media partners is also helping to bring this idea to life.

19

Global goes local: Brands without borders

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Scott Young, Research on Warc, April 2014

This article sets out the challenges associated with global package design and argues that brands should have a few core global constants and then allow for flexibility according to local markets. View Summary

This article sets out the challenges associated with global package design and argues that brands should have a few core global constants and then allow for flexibility according to local markets.

Varying retail contexts make adaptation important, from small, tightly packed stores that place a premium on simple and clear packaging to high-frequency stores that value small formats and low price points.

Packaging should adapt to local market challenges such as the need to break through clutter, with changes based on research and critical thinking.

20

Package viewing patterns: Insights and implications for global design

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Scott Young and Vincenzo Ciummo, Research on Warc, April 2014

This article reveals findings from research into how people across different countries and cultures view product packaging, based on eye-tracking technology. View Summary

This article reveals findings from research into how people across different countries and cultures view product packaging, based on eye-tracking technology.

There is some variation in the length of time spent reading packaging, with German people, consumers in developing countries and people buying higher value products likely to spend more time reading packaging - but this should not encourage cluttered packaging.

Where two languages are displayed there is no preference for either the global or local language so results should be evaluated according to brand goals, and it is advised that packaging prioritises one language, minimises copy and groups information by language.

Packaging viewing is led by layout, with eyes drawn to the most visually powerful element and information overlooked due to format rather than disinterest.

There are some common 'rules' across cultures, including limited attention and being drawn to key visuals, but packaging should also be adapted to local cultures and preferences.

This report discusses changing views of luxury, and how Diageo Reserve – the premium arm of the global spirits group – is attempting to respond. View Summary

This report discusses changing views of luxury, and how Diageo Reserve – the premium arm of the global spirits group – is attempting to respond. From the Chinese government's clampdown on "gifting" to the American public's distaste at prior corporate excess, attitudes towards luxury are changing. In response, Diageo Reserve has adopted a "1:9:90" philosophy. This involves targeting the most promising 1% of affluent consumers, before allowing the 9%, comprised of industry influencers, to spread the word, thus gaining the attention of the wider 90%, made up of occasional and aspirational customers. Providing personalised products and unique experiences is another core feature of its approach.

This event report discusses how adidas, the sports brand, is progressing in China, and the learnings for other brands in this market. View Summary

This event report discusses how adidas, the sports brand, is progressing in China, and the learnings for other brands in this market. The scale and pace of change in the country mean it is characterised by enormous complexity and various contradictions which can be difficult to resolve. Among the main issues for marketers at present are identifying which lower-tier cities offer the greatest growth, overcoming the intense competition from rival players, and serving the different needs of consumers in large and small markets. Looking ahead, brands will need to formulate strategies helping them get ahead in the ecommerce space, and to serve the growing number of older Chinese consumers.

23

Letter from America: The China syndrome - big challenges for US brands

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Allyson Stewart-Allen, Market Leader, Quarter 2, 2014, pp. 53-53

This article discusses some of the challenges for US companies seeking to expand in China. China represents a huge opportunity for western brands as its import market is now worth over $1.9 trillion. View Summary

This article discusses some of the challenges for US companies seeking to expand in China. China represents a huge opportunity for western brands as its import market is now worth over $1.9 trillion. Examples of US brands that have failed in China are given, with the key theme being a failure to adapt to the market. In order to succeed in China brands cannot just transfer their US business model. Instead they should ensure store layout matches how Chinese people shop, localise the business, including using local management and headquarters, respect tradition, adapt the product and branding, and ensure the correct product pricing.

This event report discusses how Timex’s in-house agency is organised to achieve the greatest possible efficiency and productivity with limited manpower and a restricted budget. View Summary

This event report discusses how Timex’s in-house agency is organised to achieve the greatest possible efficiency and productivity with limited manpower and a restricted budget. It has, for example, maximised the use of film and photos taken from a single shoot in 2011 – content that was still relevant and being employed several campaigns later in late 2013. Its staff members also fulfil multiple roles, a cross-functional approach many mainstream agencies would envy. Having long focused on product advertising, however, Timex has employed an external agency to produce a brand campaign and to help find a positioning with international relevance in the fashion sector.

This event report discusses how Bose, the audio equipment brand, successfully enhanced the quality of the advertising produced by its in-house agency. View Summary

This event report discusses how Bose, the audio equipment brand, successfully enhanced the quality of the advertising produced by its in-house agency. After reassessing the idea of having an internal creative shop in the wake of the financial crisis, Bose decided to keep it, but undertook a wide-ranging transformation in its approach. This would involve it becoming a world-class, full-service, global agency. Meeting the first of these goals required ensuring that it delivered work that could match the very best an external partner could provide; becoming full service involved ramping up its capabilities in various disciplines; and assuming a global role demanded setting common standards in a diverse range of countries, including Asian markets where the brand was not as well-known as in the US.